Local shopping options abound

The holidays are fast approaching and gift buying is in full swing, but don't forget your local businesses as you search for that perfect gift for someone on your list. There is a wealth of unique gifts available right in this area, as well as friendly familiar faces in the businesses who are eager to help you make a selection.

During this year of pandemic, it is doubly important to support local businesses and organizations, especially during the holiday shopping season. They are having a tough time now that the pandemic keeps people at home or out only on a limited basis. So why not buy a gift someone will like and help a local business at the same time?

"Shop locally, keep our storefronts filled," said Holly Hansen, city of Cloquet community development director. "People need your business. The local businesses are the backbone of our economy. Keep that in mind when you are spending money."

Worried about shopping inside? No problem, many local stores offer curbside pickup during the pandemic, and Amazon isn't the only place that can mail gift items to someone special. Additionally, every local store has a coronavirus safety plan in place, all require masks and many limit the number of customers inside depending on the space. John and Joanne of Buskala's Jewelry in Cloquet will provide a homemade mask if customers don't have one, and they offer curbside service for gifts, jewelry and other engraved items.

There are so many different local places to shop.

Stop in at Bergquist's Imports on Highway 33 to pick up Scandinavian gifts for that special someone. Don't forget the Scandinavian foods, such as lingonberry jam, that are not available anywhere else in the area. Masks with Scandinavian designs or Uffda! emblazoned on them are available to proudly wear during this pandemic.

Floral arrangements for decorating are available at Skutevik's Floral or at The Fig Tree. The gift of a living plant can bring greenery and better inside air to a home year-round.

If the person on your list is a rock hound, look no farther than The Rock Place on Avenue C for that special gift. They have everything from handcrafted bolo ties to large polished rocks that can serve as spectacular bookends.

Mainstream Boutique in Cloquet is Carlton County's only locally owned women's clothing store and offers a wide selection of fashionable women's clothes and accessories that are unique for this area.

While most of the holiday craft sales were canceled due to the pandemic, there are still places to find locally made crafts and other fun items.

In Carlton, the Magnolia Café still has meals to go but converted the dining room into a Maker's Market, where handcrafted items from local crafters are on display. Stop in, check them out, and take home something special for someone on your list. Bearaboo Coffee Escape in Cloquet has T-shirts, sweatshirts and hats with logos designed by the owner's teenage kids, along with special holiday gift baskets for sale. The Warming House also offers a selection of coffee and tea items to make at home.

In Moose Lake, a new gift shop opened this fall, Our New Adventures on North Arrowhead Lane. Stop in at this mother-and-daughters-owned shop and pick up handcrafted items, 31 Bags or a hand-carved canoe paddle.

Outdoor Advantage has a variety of gifts for the outdoors person on your list.

For the ladies, the perfect gift may be a gift certificate to their favorite hair or nail salon. Or you could pick up products at the salons for that perfect gift for them.

Don't forget a day to relax, such as a gift certificate at the Hong Kong Spa. For those who like physical fitness, a gym membership might be the perfect gift. The golfer might appreciate a gift certificate to their favorite golf course, including the new Rugged Spruce in Mahtowa. They also have food specials to pick up during the holidays.

Stop in at the Quilted Dog Quilt Shop on Highway 33 North to pick up a gift certificate for the quilter on your list.

Pack & Mail on Cloquet Avenue will help you send gifts to those that live away from the community.

Sometimes the most appreciated gift is a practical one:

Check out Wood City Lights and Hardware where a wide selection of lamps is available, to brighten darker winter days.

Sara's Vac Shack on Cloquet Avenue may have something to make one's work a little easier. Stop in and see what is available from the helpful, knowledgeable staff.

And, while you are close by, check out Daugherty's Appliance and Mattress Gallery or Dave's Mattress and Furniture.

Burger's Shoes on Carlton Avenue has a selection of shoes and boots for winter, along with well made, stylish shoes for all seasons.

For food gifts or for holidays meals, look no farther than B&B Market on Big Lake Road or TJ's Country Corner in Mahtowa for sausages, lutefisk or other specialty meats. Both also have a wide selection of holiday candies, as does the new business near Carlton, Sweetly Kismet Candy Store, just off of Highway 210.

For adult beverages, check out the selection at Cold One Liquor on Highway 33, Cloquet's only locally owned liquor store.

While you are out shopping, order take-out meals from curbside service at your favorite restaurant. It has been tough on those businesses when their dining rooms have to be closed but you can still enjoy your favorite meals at home after you stop and pick them up. Gift cards to area restaurants make wonderful gifts for anyone, but especially that person who already seems to have everything they need.

To get back on track after the holidays or for nutritional gifts as well as some locally made crafts, don't forget to shop at the local nutrition stores. There are several in the area including Cloquet Natural Foods on Carlton Avenue, where they're selling some nifty crocheted hats and scarves along with lots of healthy food items.

Local history could be the perfect gift for someone. Buy a membership to the Carlton County Historical Society or Moose Lake Area Historical Society, so they can have easy access to local history all year long. Or buy a 2021 barn calendar (a CCHS fundraiser) at a local businesses, including B&B Market and the Pine Knot News.

Or maybe you'd like to buy a big gift with the whole family in mind. The friendly staff at Cloquet Ford Chrysler Jeep and Ram are the people to see whether you are looking for a new or used vehicle. Stop in and check out the selection. They can also help you order a vehicle if they don't have it on the lot.

The holiday season is not just for shopping, it is also for enjoying the season. Check out the Facebook page for the County Seat Theater and purchase tickets to watch their Christmas play from the comfort of your own home via video on demand. For ticket information, call 218-878-0071. Consider buying a season pass to the community theater to keep your arts lover entertained all year long.

For the gift that keeps on giving all year long, buy a gift subscription to the Pine Knot News, Carlton County's only locally owned newspaper. It's a fact: newspapers not only entertain and educate the reader, but done right, they help make the community stronger and keep government on the right track. That's a lot of bang for your buck at just $44 a year.

This is just a partial list of local businesses that depend on community support. Keep in mind that local businesses support the community. They pay taxes that support the area and donate to community schools and events.